Helping Verbs

Helping Verbs Song (sung to the tune of “Jingle Bells”) Helping verbs, helping verbs, There are twenty-three: AM, IS, ARE, WAS and WERE BEING, BEEN, and BE….oh! HAVE, HAS, HAD, DO, DOES, DID, SHALL, WILL, SHOULD, and WOULD. There are five more helping verbs: MAY, MIGHT, MUST, CAN, COULD.

Helping Verbs Song (Click Image)

Definition: helps the main verb express action or a state of being. ( Definition: helps the main verb express action or a state of being. (*labeled yellow) Examples: - can speak - will be learning - should have been fed

Main verb + helping verb(s) = verb phrase. Examples: - Many students can speak Spanish. - I will be learning about helping verbs today.

Some words can be used as both helping verbs and main verbs. - I do enjoy the movies. Main Verb: - I will do the dishes.

Sometimes a verb phrase is interrupted by another part of speech. Examples: - Students should not forget their homework. - Did you call your friends this weekend?

The word NOT and its contraction, -n’t, are adverbs -------------- Adverbs are NOT part of Verb Phrases! Example: - Students should not forget their homework.

Helping Verbs Song (sung to the tune of “Jingle Bells”) Helping verbs, helping verbs, There are twenty-three: AM, IS, ARE, WAS and WERE BEING, BEEN, and BE….oh! HAVE, HAS, HAD, DO, DOES, DID, SHALL, WILL, SHOULD, and WOULD. There are five more helping verbs: MAY, MIGHT, MUST, CAN, COULD.

Practice Helping Verbs Turn to page 363 in green, grammar textbooks